a. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to arrows for hunting game animals, and, more particularly, to a hunting arrow having a tubular shaft that provides passage for release of blood to aid in tracking an animal and that also provides a passage for air for directional stabilization of the arrow during flight.
b. Related Art
Ancient in origin, bow hunting of game animals is increasingly popular in present times. Many or most states in the United States provide separate and/or extended seasons for bow hunting as compared with rifle hunting, sometimes both before and after the rifle season. Moreover, the challenges, relative safety and enjoyment inherent in bow hunting have drawn new participants to the sport who have not previously been involved in hunting.
The challenges of bow hunting naturally involve certain difficulties, some of which have raised significant concerns. For example, when shot with a high power rifle a game animals frequently will drop on the spot or travel only a short distance before collapsing owing to substantial trauma/blood loss. This is rarely the case with bow hunting, due to the lesser ability of broadhead arrows to impart shock/tissue damage; moreover limitations in accuracy render it difficult to hit vital areas that would quickly incapacitate the animal. Consequently, even mortally wounded game animals are frequently able to run for a significant amount of time after being struck and thus must be tracked over considerable distances by the hunter. Moreover, the limited size of the wound and the tendency of the skin to retract around the shaft of the arrow can combine to minimize external bleeding so as to make tracking exceedingly difficult, especially in brushy or rough terrain. A large portion of animals therefore die without being found, with studies in some states estimating losses at nearly 50%. This has raised concerns for not only for reason of wastage but also on ethical grounds.
As noted above, problems with accuracy constitute a significant factor in the loss of wounded game animals due to the difficulty in hitting vital areas that would affect a quicker kill, and they also detract from enjoyment of the sport on the whole. One of the problems stems from the traditional fletching on arrows, which typically takes the form of “fins” (usually three in number) made of feathers or other flexible material that are mounted on and extend generally radially from the “nock,” the latter being a structure at the rearward end of the shaft of the arrow and that includes a notch that fits over the drawstring of the bow. The fletching serves to stabilize the arrow in flight. However, due to the design and function of most bows, the fletching will also typically hit the side of the bow during release (one of the reasons conventional fletching is formed of flexible material), creating a certain amount of deflection at the outset. The fletching also creates an enlarged effective diameter at the rear of the arrow, defined by the tips of the “fins,” making it difficult for the arrow to pass by and through twigs and branches without the fletching striking and knocking the arrow off course. The fletching also creates drag that tends to slow the arrow en route to the target, affecting both accuracy and the arrow's ability to penetrate tissue in an effective manner.
Conventional fletching can also negatively impact aim and correct arrow placement in an indirect manner, due its visibility to the target animal. Deer in particular have acute eyesight and an exceptional ability to detect visible movement. Even if the hunter exercises care, the comparatively large, flat surfaces of the fletching tend to produce a visible “flicking” effect as the arrow is brought into position and hunter takes aim; if detected the animal may start, making it difficult to hit and possibly resulting in poor placement of the arrow such that it fails to result in a humane kill.
Certain efforts have previously been made at increasing the external discharge of blood from an arrow wound in order to aid in tracking the animal, including those disclosed in the following references: U.S. Pat. No. 8,7884,242, U.S. Pat. No. 6,719,652, U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,310, U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,069, U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,325, U.S. Pat. No. 4,212,463, U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,619, U.S. Pat. No. 3,617,060, U.S. Pat. No. 3,393,912, U.S. Pat. No. 2,554,012, U.S. Pat. No. 2,467,838, U.S. Publication No. 2007/0225093, U.S. Publication No. 2003/0166425. However, many of the prior devices have employed conduits or other structures that impede blood flow are otherwise less than satisfactory. Moreover, such previous efforts have not adequately addressed the other problems discussed above.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a hunting arrow assembly that will produce a substantial external discharge of blood from a wounded game animal to aid the hunter in tracking and recovering the animal. Furthermore, there exists a need for such an arrow having a reduced effective cross-section as compared with conventionally fletched arrows to aid in passing through brush and branches and similar obstacles, and that enjoys reduced air resistance and improved aerodynamic performance relative to conventionally fletched arrows. Still further, there exists a need for such an arrow having a reduced visibility to a game animal, particularly as the arrow is moved in the course of being positioned on the bow and aimed.